Bill would expand wilderness area at Olympic National Forest

For the second time in two years, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray is taking a stab at greatly enlarging the portion of Olympic National Forest that would receive highest federal protection as a designated wilderness.

Murray and fellow Washington Democrat Rep. Derek Kilmer, of Gig Harbor, on Friday introduced a bill to put logging, dams and other development off-limits on 126,554 acres of federal lands on the Olympic Peninsula.

Currently, 88,002 acres of Olympic National Forest’s 630,000 acres have been declared wilderness areas. The forest surrounds the Olympic National Park.

The legislation also would designate 19 rivers, including the Elwha, and seven major tributaries as wild and scenic, ensuring congressional protection to preserve their flow-flowing nature.

LINK (via: The Seattle Times)